


The Sabbats of District Twelve

by gingersnapper



Series: Orains Universe [2]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Hunger Games, F/M, Holidays, Imbolc, Sabbats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29149269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingersnapper/pseuds/gingersnapper
Summary: A series of snapshots of Katniss and Peeta celebrating the eight Pagan sabbats in a modified, futuristic Panem Hunger Games way.Set in the Orains universe in which Katniss is a refugee from Hebridia and Peeta befriended her in childhood. AU in which there are no Games.Plan is to update this with the sabbats as they come and I’ll also update tags as I go!
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen & Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Series: Orains Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070660
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief introduction to the way the eight pagan sabbats are celebrated in District Twelve, as well as a brief look into why religion isn’t practiced in the districts. Purely my own imagination, I really wanted to explore this idea because I’ve noticed that no one else really has, so I couldn’t resist!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is not a sequel to Orains (which, as of right now, 02/01/2021) is not even complete, but instead is just a series of snapshots that occur in between chapters. Now that I’ve started this piece, I promise I’ll try to finish it, I never planned for Orains to really be all that long anyway.

Long ago, before the Dark Days even began, there was a world that celebrated religious holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan and more, but even longer before that, there were whole cultures that celebrated many gods and goddesses, and many holidays associated with them.

In the year 2056, something changed drastically. The Earth, polluted and sick from years of industry, began to fight back against its inhabitants, and for seven years, the human race, or what was left of it, fought to survive in small communities, thriving as best as they could. Wars were fought for territory and leadership and there was no peace - until a new nation rose from the ashes of what had once been America. Panem, led by President Wilfred Kolotz, came to power and created the Capitol and the thirteen districts that are still known today. At first, the people of Panem thought he was a good leader who cared for their well-being, but they soon learned that President Kolotz was nothing like the man they’d hoped for. Kolotz banned the practice of any and all religion, stating that ‘a belief in any god was showing a lack of belief in the president’, and younger children stopped learning them. With the banishment of religion went the banishment of religious holidays.

President Kolotz was killed in an assasination attempt in 2075 by rebels from District Thirteen, and the districts rebelled. For ten years, the Districts were at war with the Capitol, but they were not united. This would be the weakness of the districts. The new president, following Kolotz’s death, was President Alshima Holland, and he was even stricter than Kolotz. He harshly punished anyone caught practicing any religion, and with enough time, and with the deaths of the previous generations, the memory of every religion faded from existence, but the holidays didn’t. Not completely, at least. Different holidays developed in different districts, with Yule, Midwinter, Dark Week, the Winter Solstice and After Harvest being a common one among all districts. Districts One, Two, Six and Eight had Midwinter, District Three had the Winter Solstice, District Five had Dark Week, Districts Nine, Ten and Eleven had After Harvest, and Districts Four, Seven and Twelve had Yule, or as it was called in District Seven, Yuletide - each district had a different way of celebrating their holidays.

Yule was an ancient Pagan holiday brought to Panem by Hebridean refugees from the island nation of Hebridia, which formed of what was left of the British Isles. During the flooding, the people of the Hebrides Islands had adapted well to flooding and water, but the rest of the British Isles were not so fortunate. The Hebrideans, who were not banished from practicing religion, returned to their pagan roots, but later generations that had come to Panem learned quickly to either hide or forget their pagan deities, but their holidays remained.

Each district had their own holiday calendar, but District Twelve, which had the greatest number of Hebridean refugees, had a full holiday cycle that they called a wheel, and they called their holidays the Sabbats. The Sabbat Wheel consisted of eight holidays:

Yule began the year as it came to an end every January 1st, but started on the day of the Winter Solstice - December 21st. Yule celebrated an end to the dark days and was celebrated with a large community bonfire and community feast, and was the only time that the merchants, Seam and refugees celebrated joyously together.

Imbolc was a festival celebrating the coming of spring. It took place from dawn on the first of February and ended at dusk on the second of February every year and was generally celebrated mostly by the Seam and the refugees with a bonfire, but merchants occasionally celebrated their own way with a small window altar, if at all.

The Spring Equinox was often called Ostara by the refugees, but the Seam and the merchants called it the first day of spring. This holiday was celebrated by the Spring Bonfire and the Feast of Spring and involved flowers, eggs and lemon and honey cakes. It was one of the busiest times of the year for the bakery.

Beltane was the next holiday that was primarily celebrated by the Seam and the refugees and was celebrated on the first of May. It was believed that the spirits of ancestors crossed the veil between the spiritual world and the real world, as during Samhain, it was at its thinnest during this time. This was pretty much the only aspect of Beltane that the merchants celebrated and there were family picnics at sunset in the District cemetery.

After Beltane came Midsummer, which was called _‘latha leth an t-samhraidh’_ by the refugees. The biggest aspects of Midsummer were the running of the wreaths and the community bonfire. In District Twelve, there were generally two bonfires - the largest in the Town Square, which was meant for families, adults and young children and a smaller bonfire in the meadow meant for the teenagers and young adults.

After Midsummer came Lughnasa, which celebrated the end of summer and the first harvest. There wasn’t much produce growing in District Twelve, but they celebrated what they did grow and they also celebrated the trains that brought grain from District Nine and produce from District Eleven. It was celebrated across three days - on the first day was a small feast with family, on the second day was a skill festival and celebrations in the town square, and on the third day was the largest bonfire of the year with music, dancing and more feasting. On the final day, it was tradition for all to fast until the Bonfire Feast on the final day of Lughnasa.

Following Lughnasa came the Harvest Festival, as it was called by the merchants and Seam, or Mabon, as it was called by the Hebridean refugees. This was celebrated at the town square by all, merchant and Seam alike. It involved dancing, foods made of apples, pumpkins, squash, berries and other harvest foods, a cider contest and the Mellark Bakery’s infamous pumpkin blackberry apple pie. It was celebrated only on the Autumnal Equinox and was ended by yet another bonfire.

The final holiday, and the new year for the sabbats (but not for the districts) was Samhain. This sabbat was celebrated from the dawn of the thirty-first of October to the dawn of the first of November and was when the veil between the spiritual world and the real world was at its thinnest. This sabbat was celebrated by all merchants and Seam equally, and another busy day for the bakery, as they had lots of orders of what was called Ancestor Bread to fill. It was celebrated by an evening picnic in the cemetery by living relatives of the dead and candles were burned in every window that night in hopes to guide the spirits back to through the veil.

Another holiday celebrated by all districts was Panem Celebration Day, which was an annual celebration of the day Panem won against the rebels. It wasn’t particularly festive, nor was it a favourite among most districts, save for a few, and it was celebrated with an annual video made by the Capitol and a speech given by the president. Every year, one boy and one girl volunteer to be brought to the Capitol for a weekend retreat, and generally, they are children of merchants who will be getting jobs in the Justice Building, where they learn the necessary skills for their future jobs. Once the obligatory celebrations are finished, most of the people go back to what they are doing, with few businesses open and simply using it as a day off.


	2. Imbolc - 2159

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peeta and his brothers enjoy the Imbolc celebrations, and Peeta happens upon a lonely friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written 02/01/2021
> 
> Blessed Imbolc to all my readers!

* * *

**PEETA POV**

* * *

Imbolc wasn’t a holiday that was as widely celebrated in the town as it was in the Seam, but a lot of the merchant kids still participated in the festivities that District Twelve had surrounding the sabbat. It was generally celebrated from dawn on the first of February until dusk on the second of February, so we had quite a bit of time for festive celebrations.

Mom never allowed us to do it, but I remember when we were kids, the children would make what were called Bridey dolls and made the Imbolc Cross out of dry grass. It was said that it used to have a religious connotation, but no one in the districts was religious - and if they were, they were extremely private about it. If you got caught practicing a religion, the punishment was death in the town square by firing squad. It hadn’t happened in years.

The Seam families would hold a small feast on the first of February, and I knew this because sometimes, they would come into the bakery to buy bread, and Mom would scorn them as soon as they entered through the door. “Seam rats celebrating that horrid Seam holiday,” she muttered to herself. “There’s truly only five holidays, but the Seam will take any excuse to get drunk.” The five holidays she was referring to was Samhain, Lughnasa, Midsummer, Yule and Harvest Fest, which the Hebridean refugees called Mabon.

“They’re not all like that, Mom,” I said to her. “Things aren’t as easy for them as they are for us. You can’t blame them for trying to find something to be happy about.”

“What’s there to be happy about in _this_ world?” Mom asked me. “They’re starving and they’re always dying off. They sure keep the mortician busy. That doesn’t sound like anything to smile about.”

“That’s why they need to find something to smile about,” I told her.

“Hmph,” she replied, glancing up to look out the window as she adjusted the loaves of bread on the shelf. “Cloudy day. Six more weeks of winter.”

“That’s an Imbolc tradition, dear,” I heard my father say from the kitchen, and I couldn’t help but chuckle, even when she sent me a dirty glare. Another thing that the people of Twelve believed in was that if the sky was cloudy on the first day of Imbolc, there would be six more weeks of winter. I didn’t know why, and I never bothered to question it, but it seemed to be true every single year. Last year, it was raining on Imbolc and it was cold and snowy for six weeks after. The year before, it was overcast, and the following weeks were frigid. The year before that, it was sunny, and we had an early Spring. This year, it was snowing - not too heavily, but enough to cover the ground with a blanket of powdery ice. I would be sixteen in two weeks’ time, and it looked like I would be having another wintry birthday.

On the second of February, the Seam would have a large bonfire at dusk, which considering it was midwinter, dusk came around five at night. The bakery closed at four-thirty every day, and it took my brothers and I about half an hour if we all cleaned quickly and equally, and on Imbolc, we always did. “Lorna Douglas wants to meet me at the bonfire,” Rye was saying to Chris and I.

“Isn't Lorna from the Seam?” I asked for clarification.

“And Hebridean,” said Chris. “She’ll be Mum’s favourite future daughter-in-law if you’re not careful, Rye.”

“Don’t worry, I’m _extra_ careful,” Rye said with a wink. “It’s cold out tonight, and Lorna wants me to help keep her warm.”

“As if the bonfire wouldn’t,” I said to Chris, and we shared a chuckle.

“You should help keep Everdeen warm,” Rye said, causing my stomach to drop a bit. It always did at the mention of Katniss. We hadn’t been very close as of late, and thanks to Hawthorne, she seemed to dislike me more and more every day. Well, that’s how I felt at least - if she disliked me, she wasn’t letting on. She just wasn’t talking to me, nor was she seeking me out. “Oh, that’s right. Pretty sure Hawthorne’s already doing that.” I shook my head, then quietly resumed sweeping up in the front while Chris scrubbed the counters and Rye counted the till. “What’s the matter, little bro? Did I touch a nerve?”

“Katniss and I are not and never will be a thing,” I told him neutrally.

“Not even for a trip to the slag heap?” Rye asked me.

“What’s she need to go to the slag heap for when she and Hawthorne have the whole woods outside the fence?” Chris asked him, joining in on the fun.

“That’s certainly not stopping Hawthorne,” said Rye with a scoff. “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen him at the slag heap with other girls.”

“So he’s cheating on Katniss?” I asked, looking up at Rye, who shrugged.

“Dunno. He’s a real shit, though. Everdeen could do so much better,” Rye replied.

“With our little brother, definitely,” said Chris, and I rolled my eyes.

“Chris, when are you marrying Aaricia so you can get the hell out of here?” I asked.

“December, so you’re shit out of luck, little bro,” Chris told me with a wink. Chris had only recently just gotten engaged to Aaricia, but they couldn’t get married until her nineteenth birthday in December. The minimum marriage age in town was nineteen, but in the Seam, it was much younger. Why it was different, I’ll never know, but the merchants had heavier restrictions on them than the Seam did. We had more money, therefore had more value - that’s how Dad explained it.

We finally finished cleaning the bakery a couple of minutes after five, and then Mom made us come upstairs for dinner. My brothers and I ate as quickly as we could and got up to put on our coats. “Be back before nine!” Mom called to us.

“Mels, let them be, they’re young! Let them have a bit of fun,” Dad told her. “Be safe, boys. All of you, especially _you_ , Rye.” Chris and I laughed as the three of us all headed out and made our way to the bonfire, which would likely already be blazing.

“When we get there, I don’t want to see either of you until tomorrow morning,” Rye said to us. “Love you both, but you’re cramping my style.”

“Fine by me, Aaricia and I will be keeping warm too,” Chris said, and Rye and I both ‘ooh’ed at him.

“Wow, Chris, are you sick?” I asked. Chris was a bit more reserved, while Rye had a habit of sleeping around.

“Big bro’s finally taking tips from his little bro,” Rye said, clapping Chris on the back proudly, and then he elbowed me in the ribs. “You’re next, Peet. Better catch up.”

“I’m not you, and apparently not you, either, Chris,” I said with amusement. We finally came up to where the bonfire was, which took place in the meadow. It was made up of a lot of wood pallets and broken furniture and was already a tall blaze. Rye and Chris went their separate ways looking for their respective girls, and I went ahead and started looking for my friends. Everyone was celebrating in their own way. Some families had picnic dinners on blankets, some young couples were dancing to the four-piece band near the fire, and others were sitting around the fire with their friends. I didn’t see Delly anywhere near the dance floor, surprisingly enough, so I started walking around to the other side of the fire. There was still no sign of Delly or any of our other friends, but I did see someone, seated all alone watching the flames dance: Katniss Everdeen.

She was seated on a bench about ten feet from the bonfire - close enough to keep warm but far enough away to not be burning up. Her hair was down with the front part pulled back and in her eyes, which looked glazed over, and she was wrapped up in a green tartan blanket. There was no sign of anyone she’d usually hang around - no Madge, no Prim, no Gale, either - and I told myself to look the other way, but my feet seemed to have other ideas. I approached her carefully and quietly, not wanting to upset her, considering she kept distancing herself from me. “Katniss?” I asked, and she didn’t move. “Where's your friends and your sister? Where’s...”

“What do you think? It’s a bonfire. What do lads do during a bonfire?” she asked me, not turning her attention from the fire.

“Oh,” I said. “I’m sorry... I... I can imagine how much that hurts...”

“Not really,” she replied. “It annoys me, if anything. He’ll get a lass pregnant if he’s not careful, then I’ll be dealing with her, probably.”

“I see,” I replied.

“You can sit, if you like. Don’t have to keep standing there,” she told me neutrally. I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me, and then sat down on the bench beside her as far as I could sit comfortably, not wanting to push any limits. “Where’s your friends?”

“I’m not sure,” I told her. “I don’t know where Delly or Mark are... but you’re sitting right here, so at least I know where one is.” She smiled gently and let out a puff of air.

“We’re friends, are we?”

“Well, yeah... Katniss, I’m not sure what happened between us, but... I never stopped being your friend, even if you stopped being mine.” She turned her head to look at me, her silver eyes full of unsaid sadness, and I gave her a slight smile.

“Why are you so kind to me? I never understood it,” she said. “You used to get bullied and beaten for talking to me, but that never stopped you. Why?”

“Does it really have to be said?” I asked her quietly. Her eyes widened just a little, and then she looked away again. A moment of silence passed between us and we watched the flames dancing in the bonfire.

“Gale asked me to marry him,” she muttered quietly, and my eyes widened as I looked at her.

“He did?” I asked, and she nodded. “That’s... What’d you say?”

“No, of course,” she told me. “I don’t want to marry anyone. Not ever. Getting married means having children, and I don’t want any of that.”

“Oh... Why’d he ask you?”

“I don’t know... He claims we’re made for each other and we’d be perfect together. I don’t see it. We’d constantly be arguing and we’d be miserable, and then we’d be trapped since divorce is bloody illegal...”

“...but girls who aren’t married get signed up for the marriage bureau when they’re twenty-five... Even Seam girls.”

“Hopefully, I’ll be out of here by then.”

“You want to leave?”

“Everything that District Twelve demands of its women aren’t meant for me, and neither is anything else.”

“But what about your family?”

“You know the truth about my family. Prim has merchant blood, she’ll marry a nice merchant man and run an apothecary and be a great healer, and her mum will work with her.”

“But what about your friends?”

“Madge will marry some mayor’s son from another district, Gale will find someone else...”

“And me?” She paused.

“You don’t need me, Peeta,” she told me. She let out a sigh and stood. “I think I’m going to head on home. I’m exhausted and I’ve still got to work tomorrow. Long day of delivering babies.” I stood with her.

“Wait, Katniss-”

“Peeta, I’ve got to go. It was nice seeing you again...”

“Let me walk you home.”

“I’m fine. I need a chance to clear my head a bit.”

“All right. I hope the next time isn’t as long as the last.” She nodded, then looked down at her feet, encased in a blanket of snow. She looked up at me, her silver eyes meeting my blue ones, snowflakes catching in her chocolate brown hair.

“I hope not, too,” she said. “Goodnight, Peeta... and blessed Imbolc.” I smiled down at her.

“Blessed Imbolc to you, too, Katniss,” I said. We exchanged a final glance, and then I watched her walk away. I suppose it made me feel better knowing that she wasn’t going to marry Gale, but she had intentions to run away from District Twelve, and knowing that she never wanted to marry anyone, which included me, tore my heart in two. But based on how she spoke to me, I could easily guess that she missed me, which told me one thing:

I could change her mind.


End file.
